School systems' top earners change little from 2010 to 2011

Little has changed in the salaries of the employees of Catawba County’s three school systems since the Hickory Daily Record requested the information a year ago.

This is due primarily to a freeze placed on pay raises by the state, which has been in place since 2009.

“The only way to get an increase is if you become nationally board certified or get your master’s degree, or if you have a new job or changed positions with a new salary classification,” said Sondra Wolfe, chief financial officer for Catawba County Schools.

Teachers who have passed their National Board of Professional Teacher Standards receive a 12 percent increase and teachers and staff members with master’s or doctorate degrees receive a 10 percent pay increase within North Carolina.

This is the third year state employees have not received a pay increase under normal salary guidelines, something many across the state in public and private companies are experiencing.

However, there have been a few who have succeeded in improving their status, and getting a better paycheck in the process. Many have been in the Hickory Public Schools system.

Previously the system’s director of curriculum and instruction, this year Ann Stalnaker is the principal of Hickory High, replacing David Coyne, who is now the principal at Hickory Career and Arts Magnet High School (HCAM). With the new job came a salary increase of about $9,500 boosting her to $95,000. That salary matches what Coyne received as principal of the school and is what he still earns.

“She was given a salary to match the ADM (number of people) at Hickory High,” said Adam Steele, director of finance and business for Hickory Public Schools. “There are state figures of what principals should receive.”

That doctorate bumped her up from the No. 8 slot on the top 10 highest paid in Hickory Public Schools to being tied with Coyne for the No. 3 slot.

Coyne’s $95,000 salary is $15,000 more than what the previous principal of HCAM earned.

Another person who bettered himself is David Stegall with Newton-Conover City Schools. He, too, recently earned his doctorate. He also assumed additional responsibility when someone left the school system. Previously the director of kindergarten through eighth grade curriculum, he also became the associate superintendent for the system. This has resulted in more duties, a $10,000 pay increase per year, and moving him up two places on the list, to the second-highest paid in the system.

The school systems’ superintendents are still the ones earning the top paychecks, with Glenn Barger earning $158,000 at Catawba County Schools, Dr. Walter Hart receiving $150,000 at Hickory Public Schools and Dr. Barry Redmond making $141,000 at Newton-Conover City Schools. Redmond has been there the longest of the three, serving Newton-Conover for more than six years.

His contract is also different from the others. Redmond’s salary includes $9,000 for mileage, said Carmen Houston, director of finance for Newton-Conover City Schools. It is separate for Barger and Hart.

Performance bonuses also seem to be a thing of the past. They were included in the previous superintendents’ contracts for Catawba County Schools and Hickory Public Schools. Steele confirmed Lillie Cox received $5,000 one year and $4,000 the second year she served for Hickory. Information was not readily available for Catawba County Schools. Bonuses are not included in Barger’s contract or in Hart’s contract. He was hired in late 2011.

Many of the people in the top positions have longevity to their credit, working either with the school system or in education for many years. At Catawba County Schools, nine of the top 10 have devoted their careers to the state, working at least 18 years for North Carolina.

Pat Hensley, the assistant superintendent of human resources, is the third-highest paid at Catawba County Schools, with an annual salary of $114,480. She has worked with the school system her entire 32-year career. Wolfe has worked with the state for 37 years, 26 of those with Catawba County Schools, she said. There are two principals on Catawba County Schools’ top 10, and both have worked for the school system for nearly 30 years: Sally Bradshaw, principal of Fred T. Foard High, and DeAnna Taylor, principal at St. Stephens High.

The exception would be attorney Crystal Davis, who began working with the school system on a contractual basis in 2003. In August 2008, she began working nearly-full-time with Catawba County Schools, Wolfe said.

Everyone in Catawba County Schools’ top 10 is earning $100,000 or more. The person in the No. 11 position is the first person to earn less. The school system is the largest in the county, with about 17,100 students enrolled.

All those in Hickory Public Schools’ top 10 earn $75,000 or more. Hickory Public Schools has about 4,400 students. With Hickory, many of those in the top 10 are principals who have devoted themselves to Hickory Public Schools or education, as well. Southwest Principal Dr. Sherry Willis has worked for the state for 36 years, 12 of those with the school system, Steele said. Longview Elementary Principal John Black has been with Hickory Public Schools for 26 years. Northview Middle Principal Pam Helms has worked for 24 years.

Newton-Conover City Schools serves about 2,900 students. One person in the top 10, Jim Sprinkle, serves all three systems. Sprinkle is the director of the Community Schools childcare program. Sprinke is the third-highest paid on Newton-Conover’s list. He’s also been with the state for 25 years. Melanie Elrod, the director of student services and career and technical education, has spent her 34-year career with Newton-Conover.

The majority of the people in this system’s top 10 have served in education since the early- or mid-’80s, according to Houston. People in Newton-Conover City Schools’ top 10 make $71,000 or more.